Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-07
SHILOH'S HEROIC SOLDIER
THE CRESCENT CITY,S TRIBUTE
TO HIS MEMORY UNVEILED.

NEW ORLEANS, April 6.-The cere-
monies incident to the unveiling of the
statue to Gen. Albert Sydney Johnston
on the tomb OF the Benevolent Assoeia-
tion of the Army of Tennessee in Metairle
Cemetery took place at 3 O'Clock to-day.
There was an immense assembiage Of
people present, probably over 10000. The
veteran associations, including Grand
Army posts, attended in a body. Upon
the platform were many distinguished
persons, including Mr.. and Mrs. Jefferson
Davis, Miss Varina Davis, Gen. Beaure-
gard and staff, Gov. McEnery and staff,
Mrs. Albert sydney Johnston, Col.
William Preston Johnston and
family, Col. Throckmorton, United
States Army, and other officers,
Charles Dudley Warner, of New York,
Gems. Hooker and Walthall, Gov. Low
ry, of Mississippi, and many others.
The ceremonies were opened with prayer
by Rev. DR.. A. j. Witherspoon, Chaplain
of the Army of Tennessee. The statue
was presented by Fendell Horn, Second
Vice President, and was received by
Judge W. III. Rogers, President. The
statue was unveiled by Rosa Robinson,
aged 6 years, great-granddaughte of
Gen. Johnston, and Miss JENNIE Rogers.
daughter of Judge Rogers. The mem bers
OF the Fifth company of Washington Ar
tillery fired salute OF thirty-eight guns.
Poems by Mrs. Mary AshbY Townsend,
OF New Orleans, and Mrs. Kate B. Sher-
WOOD, of Toledo, o., were read. Gen.
Randall L. Gibson, United States Senator,
delivered the Grafton of the day, and was
followed by Mr.. Davis.
HIS FAME RESTS UPON HIS DEEDS.
Jefferson Davis said:
If words could add anything to the effect
which this scene produces then | should re-
gret that my physical ability does not allow
me To address SO large an audience as this.
Sydney Johnston's fame rests upon his deeds.
1t requires no embellishments from any one.
and ii 1t aid the able orator you have heard
has done all that occasion could require.
To you my brethren of Louisiana,
Division of the Army of Tennessee, l
wish to offer my Congratulations for
your eminent success In the task you
undertook despite the jeers and evil prophesy
of those who said you could not succeed. You
have succeeded, and (pointing to the statue)
there is to to-day, / believe, the best eques-
trian statue, man and horse, that is to be
found in any country. Applause. There is
the head and neck. familiar to many of you,
OF the horse he rode when he received ms
death wound-copied know not how, but in =
stinct with resemblance.
THE FIGURE OF OUR HERO.
There is the grand figure of cur hero as we
have seen him on horseback, perfect cava-
lIer, as well as the fearless soldier. You have
done well to embOdy this heros statue in ma
terial more enduring than granite; not that
his fame was likely to dimnlsh, nor that you
required any visible sign to remind you of his
greatness or warm your affection for him, but
that In the coming time, as the youths of
our country pass by they may LOOK at that
statue and say, We'll, who is this| and learn
the story of the man who was as good as he
was great and as great as humanity permits
a man to be. l knew Sydney Johnston. be-
lieve, better than knew any other man, per-
haps because his character was written so
legibly that it was easy to comprehend it.
sCHOOLBOYs TOGETHER.
Be that as it may, we had been associated
in college; from college we went to
the Military Academy and from there
we went into the army. l pause
for moment on the period when we were
cadets together. l believe, as rule, boys
are better judges of each other than their
professors are Of them. Johnston stood emi-
nent In the corps of cadets, always
courteous, always ready for duty, al
ways proficient, | believe that II you
will go among the cadets who were
in the cor with HIM and ask who was the
grandest character they knew in the corps
the answer would be generally If not unlver-
sally, Albert Sydney Johnston. That 8 my
opinion and the opinion / have heard ex-
pressed by many, among others by man
W no was at the head OF his class. and who is
one oil the greatest sayants this country has
produced.
IN THE WILD WEST.
We entered the army together and were in
the same branch of the service. We were to-
gether in barracks and IN Indian campaigns,
Il nd | remember now a time when saw him,
when deadly disease was spreading among
the men In the camp. sydney Johnston was
there himself, suffering, yet calm and attep-
n = 9 n fhnan a. lO auffpriup
himself. He showed no trepida tiOn-it was
not in his nature TO do SO. The man had been
as lion in battles, and when he stopped over
a suffering comrade his eyes mOistened with
more than mothers weakness. Such was
the nature of this mans heart. Then We
served in foreign war together.
TWO BRAVE HEARTS.
could not tell you much of that period
without being subject to the charge OF ego
tism for singly and alone we two have stood
where death seemed to come every moment,
and there sydney Johnston was as calm as /
ever saw him In camp. His decision was as
quick as rifle powder. Il speak to infantry
men who know how quick that Isl. Then
prevailed throughout the whole course of his
life. and that was his chivalric temper. He
never deserted friend and was prone to step
in front Of O friend when he saw him as
sailed He was knightly, but not errant
When he saw Texas struggling for
right he Thought belonged to all men the
right of government he went to volun-
teer without recommendation, taking his
place in the ranks to fight for the liberty of
Texas in order that she N light have govern
ment of her own. AS time wore on his merit
was discovered and he was raised TO RANK and
position. When the war with Mexico began
we had but few troops on the Rio Grande,
and in the beginning Of the war there seemed
little probability of success. Johnston or
ganized regiment OF which he was Co onel
and marched Immediately to the support Of
Zachary Taylor; afterward he was on the
stan Of Gen. Taylor.
TRIBUTE TO PIERCE.
/ will not worry you by going into details.
+ A voice IN crowd, Go on. ," After the war
with Mexico-my friends, Will go on q little
longer Iapplausel-he was appointed Pay
master under the administration OF Franklin
Pierce, Yankee who never faltered in the
u anco OF States rights, man who In
the Senate of the United States voted for
every one of the resolutions of Calhoun,
though many Southern Senator'S did 80 re-
luctAntly. Thanks to New Hampshire for
breeding such man as Franklin Pierce.
President Pierce appointed Johnston Pay
IN aster and Colonel OF the Second Cavalry
regiment, which gave more distinguished
the States than any other in the United
states army. buchanan when President sent
TO me 10 ask: who do you think ought 20
have command OF the Utah expeditionp
TWO NAME THE SAME THREE.
did not choose to select one only from my
army acquaintance anu 1 gave him three
names. "Do yon and Gen. scott ever agree
about anythingY" 1 said. II think so.n lie
replied: "ln this instance you nave named
the same three men, They were persifer
smith, Of Louisiana. Albert sydney Manhattan